"Chaos" (Nature)
THEN The Bandits advanced into London, mercilessly. Any residents of the city that they encountered, they shot dead instantly. From the hotel, the group heard the gunfire. Vincent and Andy watched, ducking from their balcony. Both men looked at each other, “Bandits…” In another room, Olivia, Price and Erica watched from their balcony too. “What the hell is going on?” Price inserted a magazine into his pistol. “How did they get past the gate?” Olivia asked, but then a home truth hit her. “Wait…” she picked up her walkie-talkie desperately, “Steven? Steven are you there? Steven please come in!” All that returned was static. “He was with a guard you know; they might still be ok. Heck they may even have been at a different gate,” Erica reassured her. “I can’t tell how many of them there are!” Price panicked, “Olivia! The armoury keys, do you have them on you?” She checked herself, but then remembered, as a look of regret filled her face, “Oh…” Price and Erica looked at her with concerned expressions, “I gave them to Gwen. But Gwen went to follow Elliot. I’m such an idiot!” She hit the wall. Although Price and Erica agreed with her, they knew she needed as much support as possible right now. “Don’t blame yourself ‘Liv,” beyond that, they couldn’t reassure her much else. Vincent and Andy headed to the bar downstairs to warn the punters. Andy rang the bell behind the bar, drawing everyone’s attention. “Upstairs now! Everybody! Go!” They all looked at each other confused. Upon hearing the gunfire outside, they all seemed scared and bewildered, “Upstairs now!” Andy repeated, as they all obeyed. Vincent ran to each of the doors to lock them. “Andy mate, what the flaming heck’s going on?” Keith asked him, his arm around a scared Beth. “There’s these people. They’re very bad people. Murderers even.” Keith shrugged, “Who ain’t nowadays?” The gunfire drew closer, prompting Andy to physically push them towards the stairs, “They will kill all of us. Just go. Any room!” Vincent had succeeded in locking all the doors, “What now?” They looked at each other, out of ideas. On the furthest door, they could hear the Bandits trying to get in. “Upstairs, let’s go.” They both headed back up. On high alert, Olivia, Price and Erica continued to watch the chaos unfold. “I have to find my daughter, I’m going out there,” Erica went to the door, but Olivia pulled her back, “Are you crazy? You’ll die out there!” But she didn’t care, “As long as my daughter lives I don’t care if I die.” But still Olivia protested, “If you die now, then your daughter won’t live, and you’ll both die!” Priming his pistol, Price joined her at the door. “I won’t let them die,” he stood by Erica. “Stop it, both of you. Why are you protesting me? Are we not allies?” Olivia put her hands on her hips. “Your brother is out there too. Come with us, and we’ll save him.” Olivia still protested even now, “My brother can handle himself. You two can’t. Have you seen how many people are flooding into the city right now with all kinds of guns?” They both nodded, “We’ve got one thing that they don’t – strategy. Openly invading a city is a dumb idea when there’s lots of buildings.” Olivia finally gave in, “Alright fine. I’ll keep you two alive.” Andy and Vincent tried all the doors, but they were all locked. “Christ! Won’t someone just let us in?” At a room further down the corridor, Beth poked her head out, “Andy! Vincent! In here!” They ran down into the room. “Thanks for that,” they caught their breath, bolting the door shut. “How could this happen?” Keith asked from the window at the other side of the room. Andy looked to Vincent, who shook his head, “We don’t know,” he answered. Andy looked confused by this, but then Vincent leant in and whispered, “If we tell them that our group is the reason for their invasion, we’ll get thrown out to them!” Andy understood the logic, but also debated if a sacrifice could stop it all. At the refugee camp, the Bandits had massacred everyone. Annabelle however kept hidden in a large bush, watching the Bandits examining all the bodies. “She’s not here,” One of them relayed to an unseen person. Shifting over silently, Annabelle noticed who this man was – Kyle. She clenched her fists angrily. Part of her wanted to run out and kill him right there, but the other part knew discretion was the better part of valour. Unable to get in, the Bandits surrounded the hotel, causing all the guests to question what they were planning. “What are they doing?” Vincent, Andy, Keith and Beth all peered through the room curtains outside. “That one appears to be lighting a bottle, and that one too actually. That one as well! Wait…” Keith realised what was happening, “Oh no, everyone back!” He yelled as they all dived in between the two beds. “What’s happening?” Beth panicked. “They’re making firebombs. This hotel is gonna burn.” Andy and Vincent now looked distressed as well, “So what help is hiding behind a bed gonna do for us?” Keith answered, “If the Bandits got in, they could be in these corridors right now.” This lead Andy to a realisation however. “Wait, if the hotel is going to burn from the firebombs, then that must mean the Bandits couldn’t get inside. Therefore… well, Run!” They all sprinted to the door, now taking shelter in the corridor. The Bandits moved on from the refugee camp, as Annabelle breathed a sigh of relief. She emerged from the bushes cautiously, searching the area around her for anyone alive. She moved through the refugee camp in the same direction the Bandits went, preparing to take a few out from behind while looking for help at the same time. Her attention was redirected however by the sound of glass and an explosion in the direction of the hotel. Down the road, she noticed the Bandits firebombing the building. However, this had also caused the Bandits to turn, exposing Annabelle’s cover. Instantly, she was put into a headlock by Kyle, “How lovely to see you again!” He planted his gun against her head, “Now tell me, where’s your mother?” The hotel was in complete disarray. Many of the residents ran out into the corridors, screaming and on fire. “We’ve got to help some of these people!” Keith suggested, but Vincent and Andy pulled him back, “Every room is a fiery blaze right now!” The smoke was causing them to cough immensely, “If we try to help anyone, we ourselves will die!” They began staggering to find a way out. “Fire extinguisher,” Keith pointed, choking massively. Vincent picked it up, and sprayed it into the corridor, clearing the smoke away, “Quickly, run!” Andy and Beth put Keith’s arms around their shoulders, carrying him off. “Slow down Erica!” Price and Olivia followed her. “I can’t! You’ve seen the hotel, what if they firebomb my house as well? My daughter!” She maintained her recklessly quick pace. As they turned a corner, they noticed half a dozen Bandits shooting away with their backs turned to them. Price raised his pistol thoughtlessly, “No Price don’t!” Olivia tried to stop him, but he was set on a path of defence, and opened fire at the Bandits. Olivia and Erica took shelter behind one of the buildings. “Price! Get over here idiot!” But he was outgunned, his body was rifled with bullet holes by the remaining Bandits. “No!” Erica wanted to help him, but Olivia pulled her back, “I’m sorry, he’s gone.” While Erica grieved, Olivia peered around the corner, noticing three Bandits approaching them. Pulling out her revolver, she checked that the barrel had six bullets in it – and luckily it did. She took a deep breath, then peered around the corner again, shooting one of the Bandits dead, taking cover from the return fire. She then peered around again, shooting the second one. “One more.” Erica stole Olivia’s revolver from her. “This one’s mine,” She exposed herself, and aimlessly shot at the Bandit; but she missed. The Bandit shot her in the shoulder, knocking her back down to the ground. “Erica! No!” Olivia slipped out her axe, waiting for the Bandit to get closer. She saw his shadow coming into view, and let out an enormous war cry and she ran at him while crouched. Plummeting him to the ground, she unforgivingly sliced straight through his neck with her axe. With his two henchmen behind him and Annabelle in his grasp, Kyle progressed through the streets in an attempt to find Gwen. “Let’s try this one last time: Where. Is. She?” He pressed the gun even harder against her head, but Annabelle didn’t answer him. On a manhole cover up ahead, he could hear someone banging on it from the other side. “Open it,” he ordered his henchmen, who obeyed his command. Opening the hatch, the Bandit offered Gwen his hand, hoisting her up from the ladder. Kyle smiled maliciously. NOW “Any last words?” Kyle asked Gwen. “Your father and I always loved you,” she continued to look at her daughter, “We’ll be watching you, forever. I love you so much.” She turned away from her. Annabelle closed her eyes. Then, a gunshot rang out into the night… Kyle’s malicious smile had changed to a frown of pain, as he twitched all over. He slowly looked down, revealing a gunshot wound just beneath his throat. He gasped for air, but it could clearly be heard escaping through the wound. Two more gunshots followed, both of the henchmen apprehending Annabelle were killed. Flexing her arms, she turned around noticing her saviour – it was Olivia. She held her revolver out, all six bullets fired now. Annabelle nodded to her as if to thank her. Rising to her feet slowly, Gwen’s look of despair had turned to mercilessness. “You took my husband from me. You nearly took my daughter from me. You nearly took me.” Curled up on the ground, Kyle’s face began to redden and swell up with bulging veins. Gwen crouched down in front of him. “I never planned on killing you, I only wanted to corporally destroy you.” She dragged him by his arms next to the manhole. “My husband went up, but you’re going down. So very far down. You’ll be lucky if the devil lets you in, I wouldn’t be surprised if you were sent further.” She lifted him upright, sending him straight down into the sewers. As he collided with the floor, it was obvious several bones inside him broke just from the sound which echoed out. Olivia and Annabelle watched Gwen in horror. “I… I saw Elliot… at the gate just now,” she tried to change the subject, but was still terrified of what she had just seen Gwen do. “I got a couple of guys to take him to the hospital,” she continued, “He looked rather grey, and I noticed the wound on his arm. What happened Gwen?” She looked over to her, “Shot… he was shot,” she sounded ghastly, and slowly strolled over to hear daughter. Weaving her hands through her daughter’s hair, she began to smile again, “You’re ok.” They happily embraced. Olivia on the other hand was still suspicious about the circumstances which had caused Elliot’s injury. In the hospital, Elliot and Erica were both being treated in the same room. “Well, the good news is,” the nurse began, “You’re both going to survive. The bad news is; we’ve suffered a major loss.” They both looked at her strangely, “Who?” Erica asked, but the nurse hesitated to answer, “Just tell us who Tina! Please.” She sighed, and nodded, “Steven.” Elliot’s expression turned into shock and realisation, “Steven?” He had to be sure. “We found him at the gate. There was an open wound in the side of his throat, and blood pouring out his mouth. He either bled to death or choked on his own blood.” Elliot leant his head back, his eyes slightly watering, “Olivia… where is she? I want to see her.” Tina shook her head, “Olivia is fine, she has requested to be alone at this time however.” Elliot jumped up off his bed, “I want to see her… please.” Again, Tina shook her head, “I’m sorry. Look, I’ll ask her, ok? Just wait here.” He nodded, “Thank you.” As Tina left the room, Elliot turned to face Erica, “I heard about Price,” he began, drawing her attention to him, “I’m sorry. I wish I’d have known him better.” She nodded in thanks, as Elliot continued, “Did you find your daughter in the end? Did anyone?” She shook her head as a tear rolled out, “She’s still out there… somewhere. Right? I mean, she has to be. Right Elliot?” He went over to the bed she was on, “I’m sure she is.” As Erica began to let out more tears, he hugged her, patting her on the back. “You’ll see her again. I promise…” -This chapter was released as a double-chapter with "Unreckonable Love" * The chapters this season are released over a close couple of days, as they are meant to be read more like 'book chapters' rather than as 'weekly episodes' -Death of Kyle * Kyle is the second antagonist to die. -Death of Price * Price is the first character to die who was not opposed to Elliot in any way. -This chapter is presented in a unique format in the way that it takes on the style of "Then and Now" storytelling. * This format was partially inspired by Season 4A of Fear the Walking Dead.